Heavy duty connector



July 15, 1958 D. G. PLlSKlN 2,843,331

HEAVY DUTY CONNECTOR Filed Oct. 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR 8 DAN/4 G. PA/JK/N. J4.

30 I BY ATTORNEY July 15, 1958 2,843,831

I HEAVY DUTY CONNECTOR Filed 001;. 18, 1956 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR DAN/2 6'. flak/1v.

ATTORNEY United St tes Patent @fifice 2,843,831 Patented July 15, 1958 HEAVY DUTY CONNECTOR Daniel G. Pliskin, Bronx, N. Y., assignor to Sperry Rand Corporation, Ford Instrument Company Division, Long Island City, N. Y., a corporation of Delaware Application October 18, 1956, Serial No. 616,738

6 Claims. (Cl. 339-89) This invention relates to a high current capacity electrical connector.

The principal object of the invention is to provide an improved electrical connector capable of carrying high current which is so constructed that the contact can be repeatedly easily broken and remade.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector of the aforesaid type which always ensures a reliable electrical contact having a minimum voltage drop.

Another object of the invent-ion is to provide an electrical connector which is so constructed and arranged that repeated breaking and remaking of the contact does not impair its electrical efficiency and in which the contact area and the contact pressure always remain the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connector of the aforesaid character which is especially adapted for connecting solid conductor wires instead of hollow wires.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector of the aforesaid character in which current is transmitted through the inside thereof rather than the outside thereof, thus ensuring that the connector can be separated and reconnected together without danger of shock to the operator.

Another object of the invention is to provide a connector of the aforesaid character in which turning of the cooperating parts during connecting and disconnecting is eliminated, thus preventing all twisting and breaking of the wires being electrically connected together.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector of the aforesaid character which is of simple construction and which can be easily and cheaply manufactured.

The principal object of the invention having been stated other and more limited objects of the invention will be apparent from the following specification and the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof wherein:

Figure l is an enlarged central longitudinal section through an electrical connector constructed according to my invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view through the connector of Fig. 1 showing the various parts thereof in separated positions breaking the connection between the two conductors adapted to be electrically connected together thereby, the plane of the section being indicated by the line 2 2 on Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line 33 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 is a transverse section taken substantially on the line l t of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation of the male connecting member;

Fig. 6 is an end elevation of the male connecting member looking from the right of Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the female connecting member;

Fig. 8 is an end elevation of the female connecting member looking from the left of Fig. 7;

Fig. 9 is a detail section through one of the cooperating clamping members; and

Fig. 10 is a detail view in elevation looking from the right of Fig. 9.

Referring now to the drawings by reference characters, the numeral 1 indicates generally an electrical connector which is constructed according to my invention and corn prises the casing 2, the male connecting member 3, the female connecting member 4, and the nut 5 by which the male and female connecting members 3 and 4 are removably clamped together in intimate con-tact with each other. 1

The outer or forward end of the casing 2 is exteriorly threaded as indicated at 6 for the reception of the interiorly threaded nut 5, and the inner or rear end thereof is exteriorly threaded as indicated at 7 for the reception of a nut 8. An annular flange 9 provided on the casing 2 adjacent the threads 7 cooperates with the nut 8 to secure the casing 2 in an aperture 10 in a panel 11. The for ward end of the casing 2 is provided with a cylindrical bore 12, and the rear end of the casing 2 is provided with a reduced cylindrical bore 14 in axial alignment with the bore 12 with a connecting annular shoulder 15 between the rear end of the bore 12 and the forward end of the bore 1.4.

The connecting member 3 comprises a base 16 and a medially disposed rectangular block 17 which is integral with the base 16 and extends outwardly from one end thereof. The base 16 as shown consists of a circular disc, and the outer or free end of the block 17 is provided with a hemispherical centering knob 18 in axial alignment with the base 16 and block 17. The connecting member 3 is preferably made of hardened beryllium copper, although other metals having good electrical conductive properties may be used. The member 3 is also preferably, but not necessarily, silver plated.

The connecting member 3 is secured in fixed position in the bore 12 of the casing 2, with the axis of the member 3 coincident with the axis of the bore 12, by a pair of cylindrical tubular bushings 19 and 20 which are press titted into the bore 12 with the rear end of the bushing 19 in engagement with the shoulder 15 and are held against outward movement by a snap ring 21. The bushings 19 and 20 are made of suitable insulating material such as nylon. The base 16 of the connecting member 3 is seated in a complementary annular recess 22 in the forward end of the bushing 19 and is held therein by the rear end of the bushing 25) which engages the forward end of the bore 16 around the block 17. The inner surface of the bushing 20, which is conical as indicated at 23, flares outwardly from the rear end of the bushing toward the end thereof and merges with the cylindrical inner surface 24 of the bushing at the forward end thereof.

The connecting member 4 comprises an elongated cylindrical body section 25 which merges at the rear end thereof with rearwardly and outwardly flaring conical section 26, which is transversely slotted at 28 to provide two opposed jaws 29 and 30 between which the block 17 of the connecting member 3 is adapted to be tightly clamped as will be hereinafter described. The

body 25 is also provided with an axially disposed hemispherical recess 31 which opens into the slot 28, and is provided for the reception of the centering knob 18 so that the members 3 and 4 will be in axial alignment when connected together and both will be axially disposed with respect to the casing 2. The outer or forward end of the body section 25 of the connecting member 4 is provided with an axially disposed cylinrical bore 51 which is intersected by a transverse bore 52.

When the two connecting members 3 and 4 are in 3,. engagement the conical section 26 of the member 3 will be disposed within the oppositely flaring conical section 23 of the bushing 29 thus providing an annular. space 32, between the outer surface 26 of the member 4 and the inner surface 23 of the bushing 24), which is V-shaped in cross section.

The connecting members 3 and 4 are securely held in engagement with each other with the block 17 of the member 3 firmly clamped between the jaws 29 and 3% of the member 4 by a tubular wedging member 35 which is generally cylindrical and is provided with an axial bore 36 for the reception of the body section of the member 3. The forward or outer end of the wedging member is reduced in diameter as indicated at 37 to provide an annular shoulder 38. The rear or inner end of the member 35 is provided with an outer conical surface 39 which flares rearwardly and inwardly, and with an inner conical surface 4% which flares rearwardly and outwardly thus providing what might be aptly termed an annular wedge. The outer or forward end of the tubular wedging member 35 is made of suitable insulating material, such as glass melamine, and is mounted in a metal sleeve 45, which is provided around the outer end thereof with an inwardly extending annular flange 46 which is adapted to engage the shoulder 38 of the member 35; and around the inner end thereof with an outwardly extending annular flange 47 which is adapted to be engaged by an inwardly extending annular flange 48 carried by the nut 5 at the outer end thereof The sleeve $5 is also provided with a pair of diametrically opposed apertures 53 for the reception of a spanner Wrench. A snap ring 49 is provided to retain the member 35 within the sleeve and a snap ring 50 is provided to retain the sleeve 45 in the nut 5.

One end of a conductor 55, which is adapted to be electrically connected to and disconnected from a conductor 56 is secured to the rear face of the base 216 of the connecting member 3 as by soldering as indicated at 57. The conductor 56 is electrically connected to the connecting member 4 by inserting one end thereof into the transverse bore 52 through the bore 51 and soldering it therein as indicated at 58.

In connecting the two conductors 55 and 56 together the connecting member 4 is first inserted into the casing 2 with the jaws 29 and 30 thereof encompassing the block 17 of the connecting member 3 and with the centering knob 18 disposed in the recess 31. The nut 5 is then screwed onto the threaded end 6 of the casing 2. The screwing of the nut 5 onto the casing 2 moves the tubular wedging member rearwardly forcing the outer conical surface 39 thereof into engagement with the complementary conical surface 23 of the bushing 20, and the inner conical surface 4-0 thereof into engage ment with the complementary conical surface 26 of the connecting member 4. The inner conical surface 44} of the member 35 coacting with the outer conical surface 26 of the member 4 will force the inner end of the member 4 firmly against the forward face of the base 16 of the member 3; and the annular wedge end of the member 35 coacting with the oppositely flaring conical surfaces 23 and 26 of the bushing 24 and member 4 respectively will force the jaws 29 and 30 into tight engagcment with the block 17 and cause them to firmly grip the block 17 therebetween.

To break the connection between the conductors 55 and 56 it is only necessary to unscrew the nut 5 from the casing 2 which will withdraw the tubular wedging member 35 from the casing 2 and out of engagement with the coacting oppositely flaring conical surfaces 2 3 and ,26 thereby releasing the grip of the jaws 29 and 30 upon the block 17 and permitting the member 4 to be withdrawn from the member 3 as shown in Fig. 2.

In order to prevent turning of the sleeve 45 and the wedging member 35 mounted therein with the nut 5 as it is screwed onto and off of the housing 2 the sleeve 45 is held against turning.

From the foregoing it will be apparent to those skilled in this art that l have provided a very simple and efficient connector for accomplishing the objects of the invention; and it is to be understood that I am not limited to the specific construction shown and described herein as various modifications may be made therein within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

. that is claimed is:

1. An electrical connector of the character described comprising a tubular casing which is adapted to be secured in fixed position, a first connecting member secured in fixed position in said casing, a second connecting membe," which is provided with a pair of opposed jaws between which said first connecting member is adapted to be gripped, a wedging member in which said second connector is slidably mounted, cooperating surfaces between said second connector and said wedging member through which said jaws are carnmed into tight engagement with said first connecting member by the longitudinal movement of said wedging member, and means by which longitudinal movement is imparted to said wedging member.

2. An electrical connector of the character described comprising a tubular casing which is adapted to be secured in fixed position, a rectangular connecting member secured in axially fixed position in said casing, a cylindrical connecting member provided with a pair of spaced opposed jaws at the inner end thereof between which said rectangular connecting member is adapted to be clamped, inter-engaging means between said rectangular connector and said cylindrical connector by which said connectors are maintained in axial alignment with each other, a cylindrical wedging member having an axial bore in which said cylindrical connecting member is slidably mounted, cooperating annular surfaces between said cylindrical connecting member and said wedging member through which said jaws are forced into tight gripping engagement with said rectangular connecting member by the longitudinal movement of said wedging member, and means by which longitudinal movement is imparted to said wedging member.

3. An electrical connector of the character described comprising an open ended tubular casing which is adapted to be secured in fixed position and is provided with an exteriorly threaded outer end, an interiorly threaded nu't which is adapted to be screwed onto the outer threaded end of saidcasing, a first connecting member secured in fixed axial position in said casing, a second connecting member provided with a pair of spaced opposed jaws between which said first connecting member is adapted to be clamped, a cylindrical wedging member having an axial bore in which said second connecting member is slidably mounted, coacting means between said wedging member and said second connecting member by which said jaws are forced into tight engagement with said first connecting member by the longitudinal movement of said wedging member, and in'terengaging means between said nut and said wedging member through which said wedging member is moved longitudinally as said nut is screwed on to the outer threaded end of said casing.

4. An electrical connector of the character described comprising an open ended tubular casing which is adapted to be secured in fixed position, a first connecting member secured in fixed axial position in said casing, a second connecting member provided with a pair of spaced jaws at one end thereof between which said first connecting member is gripped, said jaws having a rearwardly and outwardly flaring conical outer surface, a cylindrical wedging member having an axial bore in which said second connecting member is slidably mounted, said wedging member having at the inner end thereof a rear wardly and outwardly flaring conical surface, said inner and said outer conical surfaces coacting with each other to cam said jaws into tight gripping engagement with said first connecting member upon longitudinal movement of said wedging member, and means by which longitudinal movement is imparted to said wedging member.

5. An electrical connector of the character described comprising an open ended tubular casing which is adapted to be secured in fixed position, a first connecting member secured in fixed axial position in said casing, a second connecting member provided with a pair of spaced jaws at one end thereof between which said first connecting member is gripped, said jaws having a rearwardly and outwardly flaring conical outer surface, a bushing secured in fixed position in said casing about said first and second connecting members, said bushing being provided with a rearwardly and inwardly flaring conical inner surface, a cylindrical wedging member in which said second connecting member is slidably mounted, said wedging member being provided at the inner end thereof with a rearwardly and outwardly flaring conical inner surface and a rearwardly and inwardly flaring conical outer surface defining therebetween an annular wedge, said annular wedge coacting with the opposed conical surfaces of said bushing and said jaws to cam said jaws into tight gripping engagement with said first connecting member upon longitudinal movement of said wedging member, and means by which longitudinal movement is imparted to said wedging member.

6. An electrical connector of the character described comprising an open ended tubular casing which is adapted to be secured in fixed position and is provided with an exteriorly threaded outer end, an interiorly threaded nut which is adapted to be screwed onto the outer threaded end of said casing, a first connecting member secured in fixed axial position in said casing, a second connecting member provided with a pair of spaced jaws at one end thereof between which said first connecting member is gripped, said jaws having a rearwardly and outwardly flaring conical outer surface, interengaging means between said first connecting member and said second connecting member by which said connecting members are maintained in axial alignment, :1 bushing secured in fixed position in said casing about said first and second connecting members, said bushing being provided with a rearwardly and inwardly flaring conical inner surface, a cylindrical wedging member in which said second connecting member is slidably mounted, said wedging member being provided at the inner end thereof with a rearwardly and outwardly flaring conical inner surface and a rearwardly and inwardly flaring conical outer surface defining therebetween an annular wedge, said annular wedge coacting with the opposed conical surfaces of said bushing and said jaws to cam said jaws into tight gripping engagement with said first connecting member upon longitudinal movement of said wedging member, and interengaging means between said nut and said wedging member through which said wedging member is moved longitudinally as said nut is screwed onto the outer threaded end of said casing.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,041,824 Friend May 26, 1936 2,272,379 Loukota et al Feb. 10, 1942 2,551,895 Noir May 8, 1951 2,567,727 Quackenbush Sept. 11, 1951 2,724,097 Matthysse Nov. 15, 1955 

